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Downtown Hollywood will soon welcome a new kava bar when Twisted Roots Kava Brewery opens July 13. The bar will offer kava-based tiki drinks in a room designed to be an adventurer's haven where imagination meets relaxation.
Although the kava craze is a recent phenomenon in the U.S., the beverage has long been consumed in the Western Pacific during rituals and celebrations. Kava comes from the root of the pepper plant, piper methysticum. When prepared, the pulverized root is soaked in warm water, drained, and filtered to create a murky libation that is often described as bitter. However, when ingested, it garners a feeling that's typically described as tranquil and euphoric.
Twisted Roots' founder, Darren Perlmutter, is on a quest to elevate the overall experience and make kava the new social lubricant. "Our mission was to design a relaxing escape from the outside world with the thrill and fascination of a theme park ride," he says. And Twisted Roots does just that. It transports guests to a jungle hideaway reminiscent of an adventure film.
The space, filled with jungle relics and tropical accents, is themed after a fictional abandoned mansion where patrons play the part of travelers who meet in secret to exchange tales of pirates, safaris, and treasure hunting.
In addition, the 1,400-square-foot establishment is paired with a seemingly active lava bar comprising over 3,000 LED lights that periodically simulate an eruption through the length of the bar. Sounds from flowing pipes and simulated thunderstorms serenade patrons.
As for the kava itself, the cocktails will feature tiki-inspired kava tipples with CBD add-ins available. Drinks will combine a base of either kava, coffee, matcha, or seasonal elixirs fused with tropical fruit juices. A menu is not yet available.
To complete the evening, Twisted Roots Kava Brewery will feature live bands on select nights playing music ranging from surf rock, jazz, and indie pop to blues and Americana. In addition, the venue will offer programming like surprise karaoke, which puts singers on the spot and challenges them to perform their best renditions of Top 40 classics.
Twisted Roots Kava Brewery. 2307 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 754-260-5193; facebook.com/twistedrootskava. Nightly from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.